The ThunderBlogs

The McDonald’s in Kerrisdale, usually a calm place where many members of the elderly community eat in the day time, transformed late last night into a loitering place for young adults under the influence of alcohol.  At 2 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18, a police car was parked in the parking lot of the McDonald’s fast food restaurant at 41^st Avenue and West Boulevard.

This building is a hub for activity.  It is the largest fast food restaurant in the area, and it stands two stories high at a major intersection.  It is open for business 24 hours a day.

A group of twelve boisterous teenagers sat in booths next to the window late last night.  The teenage boys laughed and chased each other throughout the restaurant.

A small bottle of Crown Royal stuck out of the back pocket of an East Indian teenager with a faux hawk.  He occasionally spiked his soft drink with the alcohol.

An Asian male teenager wearing a tight white tee shirt and earings stared menacingly across the room at the employees. There was obvious tension.

They left the restaurant and shortly after, a police car arrived at the parking lot.  The officer questioned a few of the teenage boys and recorded their names and phone numbers.  The officer declined to comment on what happened.  He said, “They’ll tell ya,” and left promptly.

James Huang said a cab driver reported to the police that he was assaulted by a male passenger and a female passenger who refused to pay their fare.  Huang saw the two passengers flee after the incident.  “They kicked him and ran away,” said Huang.  “[The officer] just wanted to talk to us because we saw.”

Huang said he had to go and quickly left with his friends.

It is unclear as to whether this group of teenagers knew the passengers who committed the alleged assault.

More young adults filed into the restaurant at 2:30 a.m., presumably after drinking and partying.  Several young women looked intoxicated.  One young lady slouched over in her seat alone while others ordered their fast food. Strewn about on the tables were food wrappers, cups, and empty ketchup containers.

Steve Hyatt, a volunteer at the Kerrisdale Oakridge Marpole Community Policing Centre, said violent crimes are usually rare in Kerrisdale.